Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

We’re still a few months off from the start of the 2018 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, but Walt Disney World has released the line-up for this year’s Eat to the Beat concert series.

The line-up is a great mix of 80s, 90s and early-00s superstars. There are a lot of returning favorites, but there are also five new ones playing the fest this year, including two Christian artists, a first for the festival.

The festival’s 23rd year runs from August 30 to November 12, 2018. There are still six slots to be filled, but here is the announced line-up for the 2018 Eat to the Beat concert series:

We’re still a few months off from the start of the 21st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, but Walt Disney World has released the line-up for this year’s Eat to the Beat concert series.

The line-up is a great mix of 80s and 90s superstars. There are a lot of returning favorites, but there are also eight new ones playing the fest this year: Wang Chung, BoDeans, Plain White T’s, Jeffrey Osborne, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Living Colour, Soul Asylum, and Delta Rae.

Here is the complete line-up of artists scheduled to play the 2016 edition of the Eat to the Beat concert series:

We’re still a few months off from the start of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, but Walt Disney World has released the line-up for this year’s Eat to the Beat concert series.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the festival, and the line-up is a great mix of 80s and 90s superstars. There are a lot of returning favorites, as well as new ones like Tiffany, Everclear, Maxi Priest, and Chaka Khan.

The 18th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is only a few months away, and it will feature flavors from six continents, with more than 25 marketplaces to sample from. It will run from September 27 through November 11, 2013.

New this year is the Scotland Marketplace, added due to the popularity of the Disney film, “Brave.” No word on the exact menu offerings, but Disney says it will feature “traditional flavors with a twist ” that will pair well with the beer, mead, and Scotch offerings.

The Brazil Marketplace will return after a one-year hiatus, but it will feature a new menu. Hopefully, they’ll bring back the frozen Caipirinha. Also returning will be the Hawaii Marketplace, with its yummy Kalua Pork Slider, and Terra, with delicious vegan offerings like Trick’n Chicken Curry.

The nightly Eat to the Beat concerts will feature a wide variety of acts from the Go-Go’s to Sugar Ray to Manhattan Transfer to Boyz II Men. We posted the full Eat to the Beat line-up a few days ago. These concerts are free with park admission.

Authentic Taste seminars, Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog, special book signings, cultural adventures, Marketplace Discovery Passport and all attractions and park entertainment are also included with regular Epcot admission.

The food and beverage samples, some culinary demos and wine seminars, and special events like Party for the Senses, are an additional cost.

Yes, the highlight of the annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is all the food and beverage samples available to purchase. But I’d have to say the fest’s Eat to the Beat nightly concerts are also a big draw.

This week, Walt Disney World released the line-up for the 2013 Eat to the Beat concerts, and there are some new names, as well as favorites from past years.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger – photo by M.Snow

Here’s the show calendar:

Sept. 27-29 – Starship starring Mickey Thomas

Sept. 30-Oct. 1 – Go-Go’s

Oct. 2-4 – Air Supply

Oct. 5-6 – Sister Hazel

Oct. 7-9 – Sugar Ray

Oct. 10-11 – Edwin McCain

Oct. 12-13 – Manhattan Transfer

Oct. 14-15 – Wilson Phillips

Oct. 16-17 – The Pointer Sisters

Oct. 18-20 – Night Ranger

Oct. 21-23 – Boyz II Men

Oct. 24-25 – Survivor

Oct. 26-27 – 38 Special

Oct. 28-30 – Smash Mouth

Oct. 31-Nov. 1 – Spin Doctors

Nov. 2-3 – Christopher Cross

Nov. 4-5 – Hanson

Nov. 6-8 – Dennis DeYoung

Nov. 9-11 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Eat to the Beat concerts take place three times per evening (5:30pm, 6:45pm, 8:00pm), and are included with regular Epcot admission.

Epcot International Food & Wine festival returns Sept. 28-Nov. 12 for its 17th year, with more than 25 kiosk marketplaces to sample tastes from around the world.

Cheddar Cheese Soup From Canada

Among dozens of new dishes this year is shrimp ceviche at the new Florida Local Marketplace, and a buttery filet mignon with wild mushrooms at the Canada Marketplace. Also new this year is Terra, a Vegan marketplace.

Beyond the sampling, the popular Ocean Spray “Discover the Cranberry Bog” returns showing how cranberries grow (with farmers to explain). Also new is the Watermelon Patch, hosted by the National Watermelon Board, with watermelons growing and fun facts and tips from Mr. Food.

Each day also features cooking demos and beverage classes in the festival center, with celebrity chef appearances such as Jeff Henderson, Gale Gand, Jennifer Booker, Ron Duprat, Jamie Deen, Warren Brown, Rock Harper, Celina Tio, Robert Irvine, Andrew Zimmern, Buddy Valastro, Art Smith, Keegan Gerhard and more. Most of these demos and classes do charge an additional fee.

Included in regular admission are the nightly Eat to the Beat concerts, featuring returing favorites like Night Ranger, Sugar Ray, Boyz II Men and Sister Hazel. New this year are Smash Mouth, Javier Colon (winner of “The Voice”), Blues Traveler, and Dennis DeYoung (original member of the group STYX).

Yes, most people attend the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World for the food and beverage samples. I, however, love to check out the great acts they bring in for the event’s Eat to the Beat concerts.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger - photo by M.Snow

This year has a cross section of great classic rock, r&b and pop acts. Here’s the most recent line-up announced for the 2012 fest:

September 28 – 30: Night Ranger

October 1-3: Sugar Ray

October 4-7: Starship starring Mickey Thomas

October 8-10: Boyz II Men

October 11-12: Smash Mouth

October 13-14: Javier Colon (winner of “The Voice”)

October 15-17: Air Supply

October 18-19: Gin Blossoms

October 20-21: Survivor

October 22-23: Hanson

October 24-25: The Pointer Sisters

October 26-28: Sister Hazel

October 29-31: Billy Ocean

November 1-2: .38 Special

November 3-4: Howard Jones

November 5-6: Blues Traveler

November 7-8: Dennis DeYoung (original member of the group Styx)

November 9-11: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

The concerts, which are included with Epcot admission, will be at the America Gardens Theatre nightly at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m.

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